Check Engine Light

[Russell]

Did any of our trucks come with a gauge pod that had an idiot light that said Check engine or something to that effect that went under the fuel gauge or speedometer? I need to install a check engine light somwhere, but I'd like to keep it as stock as possible.

My other option is to install one of these small 12 v lights I bought, I'd like it in the gauge pod somewhere, just don't really want to be drilling out any of my gauge faces, so I'd prefer a stock idiot light mask or something.

Here is a pic of the little lights I have, beside a penny for size comparison:

[kballan]

Is there a way that you could maybe change the "fasten belts" light into a check engine light? I would tend to think that it's possible. Not sure that there's a check engine light there.

[red450ih]

I have an 86 and 87 out here with the check engine lights. The 87 is TBI of course and has the light in the bottom of the speedometer. The 86 had a ESC with Q-jet and it's check engine light is in the face plate between the speedo and the Fuel gauge where the 6.2 trucks had the glow plug light. Hope that helps. I can get pics if you need them.

Keith

[N2TRUX]

Russel look at 4wd clusters as an option. Some of them had an "engaged" light that you could swith the lens with to get your check engine light.....

[Jonboy]

what if you used the "choke" light hole? You just need it to count the flashes, really.

[screwballl]

the check engine lights didnt start appering in these trucks until the advent of computer controls, i think around 84-86 but there are ways of doing it as they have said above

[ocbaud]

my 86' never had a check engine light.

[Grim Reaper]

Originally Posted by ocbaud

my 86' never had a check engine light.

Bet it has a Choke light though :p

There will be two empty slots for 4wd and 4wd loc but the gage face will be painted over more then likely. I would try tieing it into the seat belt light.

[Russell]

I've got a choke and 4x4 engaged slot, but what I am looking for is one that goes under the speedo from a TBI truck, that actually says "check engine." I have no intention of counting flashes -- My laptop can tell me what the error code is, lol

I'll see if I can't find myself a TBI truck at the wreckers today and get the little lense from it.

[Russell]

I found what I was looking for at the wreckers -- It says Service Engine Soon, if only it came in Red rather than Orange...

[screwballl]

better that then nothing

[Russell]

I agree and I intend to use it until I find a red one, lol

[swervin ervin]

There have never been any red Service Engine Soon lights. Far as I know, they've always been orange. Still are.

[cliffsta]

hmmm, now I'm curious: my 80 C10 has the seat belt light and parking brake. Are there any other warning lights? Never seen em, so i'm assuming 2 is what there is.

[swervin ervin]

You should have a choke light.

[Russell]

Alright, thanks Swerve, I'll just run the orange one then :P

[cliffsta]

hmmm, according to my dad, the electric choke went soon after the truck was bought new in 80 (as in before 1990), so he ghetto fied a manual choke, and it doesn't activate a light. Apparent in that my mom rode around in ol red with the choke wide open and got crap in the carburetor a few years back that sucked and its probably why my carb is sucking right now

[Russell]

Air filter shoulda caught anything that would have gone down your truck's carb... After 24 years a carb need to be refurbished anyways, lol. The choke light is the idiot light on the right under the speedo, on the left is usually the 4x4 light. I'll be rigging my dash to turn on the check engine soon light by splicing into the harness. Shouldn't be a problem to do

[cliffsta]

lol, well, it got something in it, cause my dad got a mechanic next door to his place of business to hook up a "backfire thingie" (thats the techincal name) and took off the air cleaner, and it backfired a piece of gooply gop out of it, and my dad said it made a world of difference. lol. I'm definately on the rebuild bandwagon. i was gonna spring for an el cheapo replacement ffrom autozone / advanced, but based on what i've read im gonna do a thorough rebuild, as in replace everything. the peeps on here claim a 24 year old OE properly rebuilt will whoop a 250 buck el cheapo replacement. which i don't doubt seens how Rochester KNOWS HOW TO MAKE A CARB
PS I didn't even realize i had a parking brake idiot light until i put on my parking brake about a month ago, and a light that said "brake" came on Oh and my seat belt buzzer still half works, cause if i start it before buckling, i here a 2 second bzzzzzzzz, or sometimes just a bzz.